Thermolocomotive.



LIPEIZ. THERMOLOGOMOTIVE. AiPLIOATIOETILED AUG.14, 1912.

Patented Dec. 10,

3 SHEETS-*SHEET 1.

A. LIPETZ.

THERMOLOOOMOTIVB.

APPLICATION FILED man, 1012.

Patented Dec. '10,. 1912' 3 SHEETS-BHEET 2.

Fig. 7.

Fig.6.

A. LIPETZ.

THERMOLOGOMOTIVB.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.14,1912. LQQ? 1 Q9, Patented Dec. 10, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3. l 1

Fig.4

PATENT OFFICE.

All'J?IBlO1il" .i LIPETZ, F ORENBUBG, RUSSIA.

THEBMOIOCOMOTIVE.

Specification of Letters Eatent.

Application filed August 14, 1912. Serial No. 715,135.

To all whom c't may concern:

Be it known. that I, ALPHONS Llrn'rz,en-

, gineer, a citizen of the Russian Empire, re-

siding, at Orenburg, Russia, have invented certain new and useful improvements in or relating to thermolocomoti-ves of the known type in which the power is transmitted to the axles of the road-wheels from a loose shaft driven by a combustion-engine, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to a thermolocomotive of the knowntype, in which the power is transmitted to the axles of the road wheels from a loose shaft driven by a combustion engine. 4

The present invention consists firstl in that'at the front and at the rear end of the locomotive each a primary power engine or a group .of such is arranged together with their respective loose shafts in such a manh'eiythat' the engines and the loose shafts are arranged symmetrically to the vertical plane laid transversely through the middle of the locomotive.

According to-a constructional form of the present invention the axes of the engine cylinders are arranged to converge toward the vertical plane laid transversely through the middle 'of the locomotive, where also the water tank and the drivers stand are arranged; and between the loose shaft and the axle. or betweenthe axle and the road wheelpreferably a pneumatic engageable and disengageable clutch is provided. The member to be coupled (the crank of the loose shaft or the road wheel of the axle) is thenrigidly attached toa compressed air cylinder c0n-' centri'cally surrounding1 theax le, in which cylinder two' pistons, aving a gliding fit on the; axle will be simultaneously forced towardoutside against the clutch members of the axle by: the com 'ressed air entering between them. The t ermo-locomotive is further, provided {with open return-current irrigation cohlers, the perforated pans of which arrangbd in a zigzag line above each out being obstructed in counter current over the pans above, and escape at the outlet after having passed over the uppermost pan.

The pans are joined together by means of hinges 1n such a manner, thattheir inclination may-be varied. The cooler is provided with adjustable guides which can bafile the air in the rear cooler, considered in the dibetween the'diverging ends, the same as with the cooler at the front end. p

The arrangement of the engine cylinders "with their respective loose shafts has the advantage, that the entire power of the locomot'ive is transmitted to the road wheels not by'one but by two shafts, so that each of these may be made lighter. Considering the high demands put to a locomotive, and considering the limited dimensions which the railway cars admit of, the safety afforded by one single shaft is not suflicient. The

second loose shaft may therefore in a way be considered as a reserve shaft, in case the first one should break.

By the engines with their shafts being ar- Patented Dec. 10, 1912.

rection of travel, in such a manner, that it can enter from the rear into theopenings ranged at both ends and by the position of these shafts relatively to the vertical plane transversely through the middle of the locomotive, a ready accessibility of the cylinder heads and ofall parts of the distributing gear, valves, levers, cams and the like is obtained, as they are all'arranged within the range of the drivers stand which is disposed in the said transverse central plane. One single drivermay therefore very easily superintend the whole engine.

By arranging the water tank in the'center of the locomotive the advantage is obtained, that no separate tender with axles and bogie frames is required; the load is distributed on the middld axles, as the weight of the water tank acts where the engines-are not. The lid of the? water tank forms the floor of the drivers stand.

A further great advantage of the thermolocomotive forming the subject of the pres- ,ent invention consists in that the expensive turntables maybe dispensed with, so that valso much time is saved otherwise spent in reversing the 1ocomotives.

Owing to'the pneumatic clutch the power will come gradually to effect,- without any sudden erks. when the-locomotivestants, as

sufficient.

This is obtained by motive is to run by itsel .effect compressed air onl notwithstanding the high speed of the engine the road wheels will be turned but slowly. It is necessary for the engine to have a high speed, as the ignitions would not be produced. properly ata low speed. It is, however,'not'poss1ble to reduce the revolutions so far as with a steam locomotive, as the pressure exists alread with the latter, while it will be produce with the engine only after the ignition which will only occur, if the adiabatic counterpressure is quickly produced. It must therefore be rendered possible, to turn the road wheels at a speed increasing from nil to the maximum at a given minimum speed of the engine. the pneumatic clutch. On downward gradients where the locothe engines may then be cut out; the locomotive will then run the me as an ordinary car. If, on the cotlrary the velocity of the locomotive is to be somewhat retarded, the en 'nes may be coupled up after the valves ave been reversed. For obtaining a greater-braking is admitted into the cylinders provided at' the action-of the ordina brakes on the wheels isnot T he clutch may also be, arranged to cause an accelerated reverse travel. T en it is only necessary to cut out the engine, while the locomotive continues running; the engine is then easily reversed under noload, and when it is coupled up again, itv will run slowly and smoothly.

In consequence of the engines and their shafts being arranged symmetrically also the coolers or radiators must be arranged in the same manner. These are made, as said above, in form of open irri tion 'coolers with counter current princip e. The cold air is 'brou ht into contact with the hotwater, and t e heat exchange will be rapid, and increasingly so as the speed of the engine increases. Therefore a greater quantity of water is cooled when the output is greatest, namely at the highest velocity, Mk1:

when the water consumption will a the greatest.- For this reason thezcounter 'current principle was employed for the cooler, in such a manner, t at the counter current depends on the velocity. An open cooler will act more energetic than a tubular radiator, as a part of "t water is evaporated by coming in directcontactwith the air whereby the temperature is considerably reduced. There will indeed be a loss in water, but the cooling effect will be the greater. If a tubular radiator wflre to be employed for the capacit of the locomotive, it would have to be so large dimensions, that it wouldtaka tip the whole space of the locomotive; the open cooler may be made considerably smaller.

In the accompanying drawings the invention has been exempli ed In these drawings Figure 1 is the left half of the locomotive in elevation; Fig. is an elevation of the central part of the locomotive forming the continuation of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is the right hand end of the loci motive forming a continuation of Fig. 2, in elevation. Mg. 4 is an end view. Fig. 5 shows the pneumatic clutch partly in longitudinal section, partly in elevation. Fig. 1'

air to the pneumatic cutch. Fig. 7 a front view of the cooler, open on the left, closed on the right. Fig. 8 is a plan of the cooler.

- of the engines independent of the wheels,

of allowing of a smooth starting and a varying of the speed, besides an easy reversing 10f the locomotives. According to Fig. 5; the cranks? with crank pins 8, 9 to the wheel axles, on which pins act th coupling and connecting rods; this is thi case with the two outermost wheel axles. For the three inner wheel-axles 5 only one pin 8 is provided. The axle 5 is journals in axle boxes 10. The road wheels 6 an! made in onepiece with their long hub 11. Between huband axle are inserted co per bushes-12, on which the wheels run Bose when the locomotive travels while the engine is at a mud-still, or in which the axles can revolve freely when the engine is'wm-king and the l 've "a going tostop.

At each end of t& axle .5 1s fitted a tapered ring 13, which is keyed to the axle by means of ke 14. In the hub 11 moves a piston 15, w ich coo crates with the taper rin 13 and is packe by means of. rings 16 an land 17. A piston 15' is-of course provid in each end of the hub 11. ,This piston is operated by means of compressed air, which is admitted through the bores 18 19 into the space between the two istons. The piston is disconnected from tile clutch by means of a spring 20. If the compressed air is allowed to rise from m'Z to a given maximum, the motion of-the isto'n and the ring-can be varied and the vesocity of the locomotive can be increased or re duced without any 'erks and very smoothl For disconnecting t e axles from the whee s air is allowed to enter'from'the ducts 18, 19

is a detail for the 'suppl of the compressed i lhe. locomotive comprises three chief le svsare Midi pressure of thes 2. The crank.

ll ll it if;

throu h wh'ic is contained in the 'tank26 which is arso that the spring 20 will comeinto action. If the wheels are not to-be disconnected, it will be sufficient to put on the brakes without reducing the speed on the engine.

According to Fig. 6 the compressed air is supplied in another manner to the piston'15. In an annular groove 2], in. the hub 11 is fitted a split ring 22 which is'secured to the hub 11 b means of a sleeve 23 and screws 24. To t is ring 22 is admitted compressed air through small pipes and conducted through bores 25 into the space between the pistons. r

For preventing the conical ring 13 from heating and likewise also the piston 15,, which may occur in starting in consequence of the gliding friction, small apertures, not shown in the drawin are provlded in the hubs 11,

water or oil may be conducte to the rings 13.- These apertures maybe'wn the inside provided with valves and springs, which hold them closed when f compressed-air is admitted, but ordinarily will maintain the atmospheric pressure.

Thewa'ter required for cooling the engine ranged, the same as the drivers stand 27 in the transverse central plane wm of the locomotive. The axes y, y of the engine cylinders contverge upwardtoward this central transverse plane.

receive their motion from the connecting rods3, 7

'29, 30 are the coolers in front and atthe' rearI end, to which-the water is forced by the pumps 28.; v The communication between I cooler and water tank is obtained by sepastuds 33 which are coupled by means of barsrate pi es. Two further pumps are provided. or producing the 'co'mpressedf 'alir,

'which is keptiin special reservoirs.-

lllheirrangenfentfoftm cooler is. at lows: In'the animus? 31, which is made of thin sheet iron, are arrangeda numbenoif pans 32 above each other'andihinged at the to be able" to likewise enter the openings 35 which are at the rear with the rear cooler seen in the direction of the travel, bafiling plates 37 are provided, which are coupled to each other by chains 38 running over pulleys. According to Fig. 8 these battling plates 37 are so adjusted at the rear cooler,

The circulation of the water is produced by two pumps 28, which I the drivin that the air is forced to enter the openings 36 at the back.

I claim: I

1. A locomotive having combustion en-.

gines, one at its front. and one at its rear end, said engines being arranged symmetrically to a'vertical plane through the center of the locomotive, driving wheels having loose-shafts, means for transmitting power from the combustion engines to said shafts .and clutches between the said loose-shafts.

and the drivingwheels.

2; A locomotive having combustion engines, one at its front and one at its rear end, said engines being arranged symmetrically to a vertical plane through the center of'the locomotive, the axes of the engine cylinders converging toward the said central' vertical transverse plahe, the drivers stand and .the water tank being arranged in said plane, driving wheels having loosesh-afts, means for transmit-tin power from the combustion engines to said shafts and clutchesbetween the said loose shafs'and the driving wheels. 7

3. A locomotive having combustion engines, one at itsfront and one at its real.

'end, said engines being arranged symmetrically to a vertical plane through the centerof the locomotive, the axes ofjthe engine cylinders converging toward the saidcentral vertical transverse plane, the drivers stand and the "water tank being arranged in said plane, driving wheels having loose-shafts,

' means for transmitting power from the combustion engines to said shafts and pneumatically-operated clutches between the said loose shafts and the driving wheels.

4. A 10 motive having combustion eng ines, one ,at its front'and one at its rear end, said e gines being arranged symmetrically to a ertical plane through the center of the locomotive, driving wheels having loose-shafts, means for transmitting power 1 fromthe combustion enginesto said shafts,

clutches between the said loose-shafts and wheels, the member to be coupled up rigidly connected to compressedair cylinders concentrically encircling the respective shafts, clutch members secured to said shafts, two pistons guided on each of said shafts in said cylinders, and means for.

admitting compressed air between said pistons to force them outwardly to clutch said cylinders to said shafts.

5. A locomotive having combustion engines, one at itsfront and one at its rear end, said engines being arranged symmetrically to a vertical plane through the center of the locomotive, driving wheels having loose-shafts, means for transmitting power from the combustion engines to said shafts,

clutches between the said. loose-shafts and the driving wheels, the member to be coupled up rigidly connected to compressed-air cylindersconcentrically encircling the respective I hers to be coupled and through which the shafts, clutch members secured to said shafts, two pistons uided on each of said shafts in said cylincers, and means for admitting compressed air between said istons to force them outwardly to clutch send cylinders to said shafts, said air-admissi0n means comprising a ring encircling the memcompressed air is conducted. Y 10 In testimony whereof I eflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

, ALPHON S LIPETZ. Witnesses:

CHARLES BLAKEY, HARRY BLAKEY. 

